Brand licensing in the new and expanding world of legalized cannabis began with the entry of musicians, chefs, and marijuana-related brands into the field. Now, as more states and countries decriminalize the substance, even, in some cases, for recreational use, licensing is starting to expand into additional areas, with celebrities leading the way: New territories. […]
Archive | Celebrity
Toy Testers, Mommy Bloggers, and More
The impact of social media influencers in the toy industry—from toy testers and mommy bloggers to comedians, singers, and pranksters—was evident at this year’s New York Toy Fair. Ryan of Ryan ToysReview, which has accumulated 19.5 billion video views and 12 million subscribers, has a new deal with Bonkers Toys for a line of branded […]
Athletes Offer Celebrity-Licensing Insights
The week before the Super Bowl in early February, the NFL Players Association and its partners in the OneTeam Collective incubator program hosted an educational panel of athletes and licensees who spoke about celebrity participation in licensing, endorsements, and other forms of partnership. The event was part of OneTeam Collective’s second annual Pitch Day, where […]
Personal Identity
Celebrities take different approaches when it comes to labeling their licensed product arrays, as they try to reach a balance between capitalizing on their fame and establishing a merchandise program that can thrive on its own merits. The first option is for fan-favorite personalities to conduct their licensing and collaboration activities under their own names, […]
Bollywood and Beyond
Celebrity brand extension through licensing and other means has been on the rise in India of late, as famous faces from a variety of sectors introduce merchandise programs. The personalities’ efforts often (but not always) revolve around brands they have developed, rather than their names alone. Some key segments include: Cricket players. Virat Kohli, captain […]
The Consequences of Misconduct
One of the leading news stories of 2017 was the steady string of claims alleging sexual assault, harassment, and other misconduct by prominent actors, media personalities, politicians, and corporate leaders. The phenomenon has touched the business of licensing and brand extension as well, as accused celebrities have seen deals for consumer products tied to their […]
On the Sidelines
Celebrities who are closely connected to the pro and college sports industry—but not current athletes—have been increasingly lending their names to consumer product lines, either through licensing or their own companies. Their areas of expertise vary: Fantasy sports. Matthew Berry, ESPN’s senior fantasy sports analyst, retained The Wildflower Group in 2016 to handle licensing for […]
New Collections for Curves
Three bloggers specializing in fashion and lifestyle guidance for plus-size women announced in the past month that they are launching new ventures in the apparel category: Gabi Gregg, who blogs under the name Gabifresh, licensed Playful Promises for a range of plus-size lingerie that debuts this month at retailers including Forever 21, Nordstrom, and Simply […]
Singers Take a Chance On Slots
Licensors of all sorts continue to try their luck in the slots category, with musicians being a particularly vibrant property type in this arena. Musical acts typically enter the category in one (or more) of the following ways: Branded games for casinos. Madonna and her agent Epic Rights licensed Aristocrat for a line of casino […]
The Bold and the Beautiful
A current trend in the color cosmetics industry—which has represented a growing category for licensing in general over the past few years—is to create a bold and graphic look using bright colors, metallics, and well-defined shapes on lips, eyelids, and brows. To promote this style to consumers, cosmetics companies are turning to celebrity endorsers, including […]